THE CA ? ING WHALE. 115 



of forty yards, he turned upon his back, raising his lower jaw 

 to grasp the boat from above. A lance-wound, however, applied 



Sperm Whale. 



in time, caused him to close his mouth; but continuing to 

 advance, he struck the boat with such force that he nearly over- 

 turned it, and concluded by again turning on his back and 

 thrusting his lower jaw through the planks. Fortunately the 

 other boats came up to the rescue, and an addition of many 

 tons of sperm to the ship's cargo made up for the damaged 

 boat. 



Although generally only the greater cetaceans are objects of 

 pursuit at sea, yet man does not disdain the capture of the 

 several dolphin-species when they approach his shores, and sur- 

 render themselves as it were into his hands. The intelligence 

 that a shoal of ca'ing whales {DeVphi/wus rnelas) has been seen 

 approaching the coast, operates like an electric shock upon the 

 inhabitants of the Feroe Islands. The whole village, old and 

 young, is instantly in motion, and soon numerous boats push off 

 from shore to surround the unsuspecting herd. Slowly and 

 steadily they are driven into a bay, the phalanx of their enemies 

 draws closer and closer together ; terrified by stones and blows, 

 they run ashore, and lie gasping as the flood recedes. Then 

 begins the work of death, amid the loud rejoicings of the happy 

 islanders. The visits of the ca'ing whale are extremely un- 

 certain. From 1754 till 1776 scarce one was caught, but on 

 the 16th of August of the last-named year more than 800 were 



